POSITION INFORMATION:

PROMOTION POTENTIAL:

DUTY LOCATIONS:

WHO MAY APPLY:

If you are NOT a status employee or VEOA eligible, you may wish to apply under announcement FRA.S-2014-0002, which is open to all U.S. Citizens.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Federal Railroad Administration’s mission is to enable the safe, reliable, and efficient movement of people and goods for a strong America, now and in the future.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) promulgates and enforces rail safety regulations; consolidates government support of rail transportation activities; administers financial assistance programs; conducts research and development in support of improved railroad safety and efficiency, and national transportation policy, including improved intercity passenger service.

FRA is committed to fostering a diverse, highly skilled workforce capable of meeting or exceeding our strategic goals with efficiency, innovation, and a constant focus on better serving our customers.Do you like identifying problems, analyzing facts, and making recommendations; are you a good communicator; would you like to make a difference in the railroad industry, if so, then this job is for you!The FRA is the agency that administers and enforces Federal rules (CFR) and regulations promulgated under a number of laws and regulations directed toward railroad safety. These include numerous other laws and regulations concerning railroad safety.

The primary purposes of this position are to provide expert professional engineering consultation and advice on safety matters pertaining to motive power and equipment to FRA staff and a wide variety of individuals outside the FRA and to provide continuous oversight of regional enforcement and CFR compliance nationwide working directly with region inspectors.

The ideal candidate for this position is a senior level Mechanical Engineer with experience in the design, inspection, testing and maintenance, and/or repair/modification of railroad locomotives and rolling stock. Railroad experience is desirable. This candidate should have experience with Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations and how these safety rules apply to locomotives and (freight and/or passenger) rolling stock. Experience with developing/applying railroad industry specifications, standards, or recommended practices is also highly desirable.

TELEWORK: This position is telework eligible and the selectee may be eligible for full-time, regular (at least 1 day per pay period, ad hoc (on a supervisor approved intermittent basis) or emergency telework in accordance with FRA’s Telework Policy (FRA Order 3600.3b) and implementation plans.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL NOVEMBER 27, 2013.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

You must be a status candidate and meet specialized experience.

Submit application and resume online by 11:59 PM ET on the closing date.

Provide all required documents by closing date.

Position is telework eligible, see Benefits & Other Info Tab.

Announcement also advertised to U.S. citizens: FRA.S-2014-0002.

Announcement may be used to fill similar positions within 30 days.

DUTIES:

Develops and monitors engineering and safety programs to ensure uniform enforcement of the rules, standards and procedural instructions that apply to railroad equipment (locomotives, passenger and freight cars) and which fall within the purview of the FRA’s mission.

Provides safety oversight nationwide for in-field testing of new equipment, conducting of safety audits and performing safety assessments of new equipment.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must (1) meet the Education Requirement for the series, (2) provide a copy of transcripts for verification, AND (3) meet the specialized experience requirements for the grade at which you are requesting consideration.

LEVEL

To qualify, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equal or equivalent to the following:

GRADE 13

Experience applying mechanical engineering principles and practices as they relate to safety rules, standards, and procedural instructions in the transportation industry.

Experience providing advice and guidance in various internal and external meetings, conferences, and training sessions on issues related to transportation industry safety initiatives, safety processes and procedures, and development of new equipment.

GRADE 14

Experience in using or evaluating the results of advanced engineering design tools and computer simulation models to perform safety evaluations of freight, passenger and commuter service equipment (locomotives, inter-city passenger or commuter cars, and freight cars).

Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:All applicants must meet one of the following requirements to qualify for consideration for an engineering position:

Successful completion of a professional engineering degree at an accredited university or college.

OR

Have a combination of college level education or training AND technical experience that has furnished you with (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following:

Professional registration as an engineer.

Evidence of Passing the Engineer-in-Training Written Test.

Successful documented completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences as described by OPM.

Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field and at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance.

SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for the Selective Service.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD: You must complete a one-year probationary period (unless already completed).

DRUG TEST: This position has been determined to be a critical safety/security position as defined in the Department of Transportation (DOT) Order, DOT 3910.1D entitled "Drug and Alcohol-Free Departmental Workplace." Therefore, if selected for the position you will be required to submit to a pre-employment/pre-appointment drug test, you will also be subject to Random Drug Testing.

TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES: Will not be paid.

GOVERNMENT TRAVEL CARD: You must be able to obtain and retain a Government contractor-issued travel card to be used for official business as a condition of employment. If unable to obtain and/or retain a card, you may be subject to removal. Those who fail to meet this condition of employment will have our offer of employment rescinded.

TIME-IN-GRADE: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade requirements contained in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

The Automated Staffing Office is ultimately responsible for determining your final rating. Please ensure that your resume and application provide enough detail to support your answers to the Vacancy Specific Questions. Your application will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the position. Your answers to the Vacancy Specific questions, your self-determined rating, resume and supporting documentation are reviewed. If your resume and supporting documents do not support your answers to the Vacancy Specific Questions, your final rating may be modified. To preview questions please click here.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

TRANSCRIPTS - Verifying that you meet the stated education requirements for the series OR an SF-50 showing that you have already qualified and worked in the federal service in this series. The transcripts need not be official. If you are qualifying based on possessing a current Professional Engineer (PE) license, or passing the Engineer in Training (EIT) exam, please provide a copy of PE license or written documented proof of passing the EIT.

SF-50 - Which verifies grade, full performance level of position, and eligibility for consideration as a status applicant. An award SF-50 is not appropriate.

DD214 - Verifying military service and eligibility for consideration under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act.

SPECIAL APPOINTING AUTHORITY DOCUMENTS - If requesting concurrent consideration for Non-competitive (NC) appointment eligibility (e.g. military spouse or persons with disabilities), you must provide appropriate supporting documentation such as PCS orders describing move & marriage certificate; letter from VA or DD214 describing 100% disability of spouse; letter from State Vocational Office certifying disability, etc. For more information, visit military spouse NC appointments or Persons with Disabilities NC appointments. Documents are only required if requesting non-competitive consideration.

DISPLACED EMPLOYEE PLACEMENT DOCUMENTS - Only required if requesting priority consideration under CTAP/ICTAP. You must submit ALL of the following: (1) your most recent performance appraisal, (2) the proof of eligibility letter from the Agency, and (3) your most current SF-50, displaying current series and grade. In addition, you must meet the well qualified standards for this vacancy (meeting minimum requirements for position and scoring at least an 85).

Failure to submit any of the required documents by the closing date of the vacancy will result in your removal from consideration for this position.

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

You may check your application status by logging into your USAJOBS account. Within two weeks of the closing date, your application will be reviewed and rated. Ratings will be determined based on the documents and information received by the closing date. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration. If you are selected for an interview, the hiring manager will contact you directly. Once a hiring decision is made, we will notify all applicants of their final status.